To Catanduanes, Bicol

I need to go to Catanduanes Bicol for a work on tuna. Because direct flight from Manila to Virac is too expensive, I opted to take the bus from Manila to Legaspi (fare is from 700 to 1100 pesos) and on to Tabaco (fare is 35pesos). I planned to stay in Tabaco for the night to catch the early boat to Catanduanes with a well rested body.

I stayed in a hotel in Tabaco City with ridiculously high rates vis a vis their room facilitiesvand services, standard is 1225 pesos. My plan of having a well rested night went to the bin as the bed is just so bad, with the bed springs hurting my bones and muscles.

Bleary-eyed and frustrated, i checked out early and went to the Port, bought my ticket to Virac (310 pesos for aircon) and terminal fee of 11.20 but ended paying 12.00 as the lady in charge do not want to give my 0.80 change . Amazingly great, the terminal is equipped of a scanner for bags and the toilet are very clean.

Onboard the boat is just so relaxing, cool, not so many passengers, with a clean toilet and tolerable noise level (it would have been perfect if not for the tv). The Mayon Volcano is standing majestically, opening its glory from its usual cloak of clouds. Its beauty is so astounding, I just let myself be engulf by it.

At the rear of the boat, a crew is setting a jig gear. I waited till he finished and i talked with him afterwards and he was even proud to show me photos of his catch, tunas, dorado and spanish mackerels so big they are even longer than him.

We arrived in Virac at about 10:30AM. Went straight to the hotel and started my journey to discovering the fisheries at this side of the Pacific Ocean.